Northwest Vista College (NVC), one of the Alamo Colleges in San Antonio, Texas, proposed to implement Project ION (Improving Opportunities in Nanotechnology) as a three-year, $199,217 project to support the educational preparation of technicians for our nation’s nanotechnology fields. Project ION will uniquely enable NVC, a two-year public Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) with 15,921 students, to become a leading producer of nanotechnology-related technicians through its innovative linkages with high schools, four-year institutions and industry partners, reaching local high school students during the project period. NVC will implement four objectives, including eight activities, to achieve the goal of increasing the number of technicians with 21st century knowledge and skills entering the nanotechnology workforce.

ION's Objectives

Innovation: Test the use of different instruction techniques—for example, new curricula, hands-on laboratory experiments, Summer Institute programs, and remote instruction—to generate interest in career fields and improve nanotechnology education for local high school students.

Implementation: Provide professional development to educators on nanotechnology trends and applications, as well as new ways to integrate high-tech activities into their STEM lessons.

Regional Adaptation: Form Advisory Committee, and host a planning conference to expand NVC’s nanotechnology network, as well as further enhance the development of cutting-edge classroom activities, internships opportunities, bridge agreements, and career placement for students at NVC.

Expansion: Evaluate results to help determine best practices for pursuing the development of a future ATE Projects grant.

ION's Activities

The following activities will be conducted to achieve outlined objectives: 1.) Establish a formal advisory board; 2.) Pilot remote laboratory project at local high schools; 3.) Develop hands-on research and internship opportunities for students with industry partners; 4.) Conduct week-long summer workshops for high school and community college STEM teachers; 6.) Utilize mentoring and partnership opportunities from two existing ATE Centers to develop Project ION as the first phase of a program that will engage high school students and educators in nanotechnology learning activities; 7.) Organize and host a nanotechnology planning conference for the region; 8.) Implement a nanotechnology Summer Institute for high school students.

Broader Impact of ION

Project ION will provide opportunities for research and learning in nanotechnology-related areas, both on campus and at partnering industry locations. It will create models for nanotechnology-focused workforce development activities for under-served populations across the barriers between and among two-year colleges, four-year universities, research institutes, and industry. Finally, Project ION will increase the number of two-year college graduates prepared to enter the workforce as technicians in nanotechnology-related industries. Project results, including lessons learned, will be disseminated broadly through participation in academic, governmental, and industry meetings as well as conferences in nanotechnology education, research, and development.

Summer 2014, Research Experience for Undergraduate (REU) at NanoJapan, hosted by Rice University. Click here to see the publication of student work. Clickhere to experience how REU at Japan looks like.